Railway draft



Nov. 8, 192 7,

E. GEORGE, JR

RAILWAY DRAFT APPLIANC E Filed Dec. 14, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 8, 1927.

E. *GECSRGE, JR

RAILWAY DRAFT APPLIANCE Filed Dec. 14, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES imam PATENT oFFicE- ENOCH GEORGE, JP, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOE TO THE MCCON- WAY & TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY DRAFT APPLIANCE.

Application filed December 14, 1926.

My invention relates to draftappliances for railway cars wherein the car coupler is pivotally connected to the draft yoke and 1s yieldingly maintained in centralized position. The principal object of the lnvention is to provide a draft appliance of the character indicated which is of compact form and in which simple means are provided for efliciently centering the car coupler with respect to the yoke.

The primary feature of the invention, generally stated consists in pivotally connecting the coupler to the forward end of a yoke upon which are mounted longitudinally movable followers for compressing an interposed draft and buffing spring. and in associating therewith a longitudinally movable plunger which extends rearwardly through the for ward follower, a coupler centering spring being interposed between the plunger and the rear follower. and the coupler being formed with means for actuating the plunger to compress the centering spring when the coupler is displaced laterally from its normal position.

A further feature of the invention consists in so associating the parts that the coupler centering plunger is guided both by the yoke and by the front and rear followers.

A still further feature consists in con structing the coupler centering plunger in a manner permitting a coupler centering spring of comparatively great length to be employed.

Other features of the invention residing in particular combinations of parts and desirable details of construction will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a draft appliance showing its relation to the car.

Figure 2 is a view, partly in vertical seotion and partly in side elevation, of the cou struction shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 33, Fig. 2, a portion of the car coupler being omitted.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44, Fig. 1, the coupler head being omitted.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55, Fig.1. I

the. drawings, 1 indicates. the draft sills Serial No. 154,738.

The draft yoke 5 is preferablyconstructed as an integral casting. Toward its rear end it is formed with vertically spaced arms 6 between which are received a forward follower 7 and a rear follower 8, these followers being relatively movable longitudinally with respect to the yoke and being adapted to compress the draft and buffing spring 9 which is interposed between them. Each of the followers is provided with a "centrally disposed recessed lug, 10 and 11 respectively for centering the spring 9, said lugs preferably being cylindrical and the lug 10 which is formed upon the rear follower 8 extending forwardly from the inner face of that follower a greater distance than the centering lug 11 of the front follower projects rearwardly from the innerface of the latter.

The space between the neighboring ends of.

the lugs 10 and 11 may be such that said lugs serve as stops for arresting the compression of the spring before the coils thereof come into contact. In bufiing, the forward follower 7 is forced rearwardly by the vertical column or bar portion 12 of the yoke which ties the yoke arms 6 together at their forward ends, while in draft the rear follower 8 is drawn forward by the rear end bar 13 of the yoke.

The forward follower 7 and the tie bar 12 of the yoke are provided with centrally disposed registering apertures 14 and 15, respectively, which are in alinement with the recesses of the spring centering lugs 10 and 11. Extending rearwardly through these apertures and projecting into the recessof the lug 10 of the rear follower is a longitudinally movable plunger 16 having a head 17 and a hollow cylindrical stem 18. Operatively interposed between the plunger and the rear follower 8 is a coupler centering spring 19 whose rear end is positioned in the recess of the spring centering lug 10 and whose forward portion is housed within the hollow cylindrical stem of the plunger.

Clihifs spring 19 preferably forwardly so as to hear at its forward end on the inner side of the plunger head 17, thus enabling aspring of comparatively great length to be employed The head 17 of the plunger is preferably of rectangular form and it may advantageously be braced by means of ribs or gussets 2O integrally connecting it to the hollow stem of the plunger. As a means for preventing rotation of the plunger during its longitudinal movements, the yoke may be p'rovidedtoward its forward end with upper and lower side webs 21 and with central webs 22 Whose opposed ends or eoges are spaced apart vertically so as to receive and guide the head 17 of the plunger. If desired the webs 21 and22 may be integrally united at their forward ends by transversely extending ties 23 of the yoke between which the plunger 16 extends, the forward face 21 of each of said transverse ties being cylindrically curved to cooperate with the correspondingly curved rear end 25 of the coupler butt. r l

The yoke is fashioned at its forward end with pivot lugs 26 and 27, respectively, which receive a tail pin 28 serving to pivotally connect the coupler 29 to the draft yoke. The lower pivot lug 27 is preferably provided with a forward extension 30 which is widened laterally so as to furnish in advance of the tail pin a support for the coupler in all working positions of the latter.

For the purpose of causing the plungers 16 tomove rearwardly so as to compress the coupler centering spring 19 when the coupler is displaced from its central position,

the coupler may advantageously be provided on opposite sides'at its rear end with lugs 81 which engage the forward face of the head 17 of the plunger when the coupler and yoke are in longitudinal alinement. The device may be supported at its rear end by a carrier plate 32 and at its front end by a carrier plate 83, the said plates being bolted or otherwise secured to the car sills 1.

Under draft and buffing forces the follow'ers'7 and 8 cause compression of the interposed spring 9 in the-well knownmanner. When the coupler swin s upon its pivot pin one or the other of the lugs 2-fpresses against the forward face of the head of the plunger 16, thereby forcing the plunger rearwardly and causing a correspondingjcompression of the coupler centering spring 19. As soon as the force causing the lateral displacement of the coupler ceases to act, this spring expands and restores the coupler to central position.

I claim:

1. A railway draft appliance comprising a draft yoke, relatively movable followers arranged in longitudinal alinement, aspring interposed between the followers and compressible by the latter in draft and buffing, a

neeaseo car coupler, means for movably u' .necting the yoke and coupler so as to pcrnut the lattcr to change its angular relation to the yoke, a plunger movable longitudinally with respect to the yoke, and a spring interposed between the plunger and the rear follower, said plunger extending through the forward follower, and said coupler being provided vith means for actuating the plunger to compress the last named spring when the coupler is displaced lalerally from its normal position.

2. A. railway craft appliance comprising a draft yoke provided at its forward end with pivot. lugs, a car coupler, a tail pin pivotally connecting the coupler to the pivot lugs, a'plurality of longitudinally movable followers carried by the yoke, a spring interposed between the followers and coin.- pressible thereby, a plunger movable longitudinally with respect to the yoke, a spring extending through the forward follower and interposed between the plunger and the rear follower, and means movable with the cou pier for forcing the plunger rearwardly when the coupler swings from normal posi tion. I

3. A railway draft appliance comprising a draft yoke, a car coupler pivotally connected to the yoke, a plurality of longitudinally movable followers carried by the yoke, a longitudinally movable plunger extending rearwardly through the forward follower, an outer spring interposed between said followers, an inner spring interposed between the plunger and the rear follower, and means or ried by the coupler for forcing the plunger rearwardly when the coupler swings from normal position. i

4. A railway draft appliancecomprising a draft yoke, a plurality of longitudinally movable followers carried by the yoke, a

longitudinally movable plunger having a hollow stem extending rearwardly through the forward follower, the rear follower being provided with a forwardly extending portion which is recessed to receive the inner end of said plunger, a spring interposed between the followers, a spring extending into said hollow stem and interposed between the plunger and the rear follower, a car coupler pivotally connected to the forward end of the yoke, and means carried by the coupler for forcing theplunger rearwardly when the coupler swings from normal position.

5. A railway draft appliance, comprising a draft yoke, a car/coupler pivotally connected to the forward end of the yoke, a plurality of longitudinally movable followers carried by the yoke, a spring interposed between the followers, each of said followers being provided with a recessed lug for centering the spring, the lug on the rear follower projecting into said spring a greater distance than the lug on the forward follower, a longitudinally movable plunger extending through said spring centering lug associated with the forward follower and entering the spring centering lug of the rear follower, a spring interposed between the plunger and the rear follower, and means 'carried by the coupler for forcing the plunger rearwardly when the coupler swings from normal position. I

6. A railway draft appliance comprising a draft yoke provided at its forward end with pivot lugs, a car coupler, a tail pin pivotally connecting the coupler to the pivot lugs, a plurality of longitudinally movable followers carried by the yoke, a spring interposed between the followers, a plunger extending through the forward follower, said yoke and plunger having cooperating portions for preventing rotation of the plunger, a spring for forcing said plunger forwardly, and means carried by the coupler for forcing the plunger rearwardly when the coupler swings from normal position. a

7. A railway draft appliance comprising a draft yoke, relatively movable followers arranged in longitudinal alinement, a spring interposed between the followers and compressible by the latter in draft and bufling, a car coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler to the forward end of the yoke, a longitudinally movable plunger extending rearwardly through the forward follower, a spring interposed between the plunger and the rear follower, said plunger being provided at its forward end with a head extending on opposite sides of the pivotal axis of the coupler, and means carried by the coupler for engaging said head to force the plunger rearwardly when the coupler swings from normal position.

8. A railway draft appliance comprising a draft yoke, a car coupler pivot-ally connected to the yoke, a plurality of longitudinally movable followers carried by the yoke, a spring interposed between the followers, a longitudinally movable plunger, a spring for forcing the plunger forwardly, said plunger being raided by said followers, and means carrier plunger rearwardly when the coupler swings from normal position.

9. A railway draft appliance comprising a draft yoke, a car coupler, a tail pin pivotally connecting the coupler to the draft yoke, 4

a plurality of longitudinally movable followers carried by the yoke, a spring interposed between the followers and compressible thereby, a longitudinally movable plunger guided by said yoke and said followers, the plunger having at its forward end a head projecting laterally on opposite sides of the tail pin, and a spring interposed between the plunger and the rear follower,

the coupler being provided on opposite sides adjacent the tail pin with lugs adapted to engage the head of the plunger, said lugs being alternately adapted to force the plunger rearwardly when the coupler swings to one side or the other of its normal position.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

ENOCH GEORGE, J R.

by the coupler for forcing the,

iii 

